Reverberatory smelting-furnace.



No. 888,624. I PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

A. D. LEE.

RBVERBERATORY SMELTING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28,1907.

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ALVA D. LEE, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

REVERBERATORY SMELTING-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed May 28, 1907. Serial No. 376,065.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVA D. LEE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented Reverberatory smelting-Furnaces, of which the following is "a specification This invention relates to reverberatory smelting furnaces and has for its object the production of such a device which may be made absolutely air tight andoperated in this condition under pressure, the furnace being provided with means for regulating the amount of this ressure.

Another object of the invention is to produce a device which may be operated either under a predetermined may be readily change when desired to operate under a vacuum draft.

In order to secure these objects the furnace embodying the features of the present invention is provided with a plurality of tangential burners extending through the walls thereof, said burners being adapted to project a plurality of flames into the cylindrical chamer of said furnace onto the charge contained therein, thereby, while causing an intense heat therein, producing a vortical action of said charge. The centrifugal action thus resulting causes the molten -mass contained Within the furnace to move around toward the exterior wall thereof and cause a fric-- tional contact between the mass and said projected flames, thus stirring and mixing The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents'a sectional-plan of a furnace embodying the features of this invention, the cutting plane being on line 11 on Fi 1. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section 0 the same, the cutting plane being on line 2- -2 on Fig, 1. Fig. .3 represents a partial section of the same,

' the cutting plane being on line 33 on Fig. 1'. 5 Fig. 4 represents a partial exterior elevation ressure or which of one side of the same, showing the mechanism for controlling the valve in the free outlet, and Fig. 5 represents a section through a portion of the furnace showing a burner ex- .tendin through the wall thereof. certain new and useful Improvements in Simi ar characters designate like arts throughout the several'figu'res of the rawings. v

In the drawings, 10 represents a bed of concrete upon which is mounted a cylindrical metal casing supported by means of a plural ity of vertical I-beams 12 on the top of which is mounted the charging floor 13-. Within the metal casing 11 and between the vertical I-beams 12 of the casing is a lining of firebrick 15 between which and said casing 11 is interposed: a layer 14 of sand or similar material. The inner face of the Wall 15 is concentric forming a cylindrical chamber 16 into which is charged the ore to be treated through the charging cone 17 'passin through the center of the top wall 18 of sai furnace.

The charging cone 17 is closed by means of the door 19 which may be 0 erated in any well-known manner. Throug the casing 11 and the linings 14 and 15 therefor are tangentially mounted and downwardly inclined a plurality of oil burners 20 adapted to project a flame into the interior chamber 16 of said furnace. This flame impinges upon the charge contained within the chamber 16 and produces therein a vortical action which is continued as long as the burners continue to operate. a

A plurality of burners 20 are used in connection with the furnace either one or more of which may be shut OH to regulate the heat within the chamber 16. At one side of the furnace is a flue outlet 2 1 which extends upwardlv and then downwardl the mouth of which communicates with t e cylindrical casing 22 in which is mounted an aspirator 23 which is adapted to operate, b the admission of steam thereto through t e-valved pipe 24, to produce a vacuum in the casing 22 and thus cause a suction adapted to effect a withdrawal of the volatile gases generated in the chamber 16, these gases passing through the casing 22 into a suitable .receptacle 24 con- 16 under ressure as is also the oil and steam passing t rough the burners, the amount of air, steam, and oil assing through said burners being regulate by any suitable means.

When too great a pressure is contained within the chamber 16 the valve 27 will be forced open against the tension of the spring ,28 mounted upon the curved threaded rod 29 which has threaded thereto an adjustable member 30 for regulating the tension ofsaid spring. This spring 28 operates against a lever 31 on the end of the pivot of the valve doors 37 and 27. When it is desired to operate thefurnace under a vacuum draft the valve 27 may be held in open position by means of the catch 32 engaging with the lever 31,, on the pivot of said valve.

A plurality of cylindrical members 33 extend throu h the walls of the furnace each of these mem ers being provided with a valve 34 which may be closed by means of the milled head 35. The outer end 36yof each of these cylindrical members is closedby means of a sheet of mica which prevents the heat from escaping while at the same time when the valve 34 is'opened the operator is afforded an op ortunity to inspect the interior .of

the-cham er 16 without opening any orifice to admit air thereto. The walls of the furnace are also provided with a lurality of doors 37, hinged at 38, these 'oors being adapted to permit the operator to secure access to the interior of the chamber 16 when necessary.

The bottom of the chamber 16 has cut therein an inclined furrow 39 terminating in an opening 40 passing throughthe firebrick lining 15 of the wall of the furnace into the opening communicatingwith a tapping outlet 41 of any well-known construction. At a somewhat higher level than the o enin 40 is another opening 42 extending throng the walls of the furnace. this latter opening 42 being for the purpose of drawing off'the slag when ores have been reduced to 'a molten state. This may be done by opening the. gushingl the slag over the openm 42 throng whi the slag is drawn ofl. en the slag has been thoroughly removed through the o ening 40', the molten metal in the bottomo the furnace'is permitted to pass through said opening into any suitable rece tacle. When the urners 20 are in operation the flames will be projected downwardly on top of the ore contained within the furnace and this ore will'soon be reduced-to a molten state and the action'of" the flames thereon will produce a vorticalaction thereon causing the mass to be moved around the axis of the chamber 16 and sufficiently agitated to cause any metallic globules or particles to be shaken down through the slag to the bottom of'the chamber 16. complished the burners 20 will be shut off and the slag removed as heretofore described and then the furnace tapped for the withdrawal of the molten metal.

In the meantime the volatile gases generated by the action of the flames upon the ores will pass through the flue stack 21, the vacuum caused by the .aspirator 23 assisting in the withdrawal of these gases. During the centrifugal movement of the molten mass and flames in the furnace an eddy will be" formed in the center which will gather therein any of the ore dust or other fine material which material will thereby become a part of the molten mass, thus avoiding the production of flue dust.

' As one of the burners operates across the stack at the flue outlet under heavy pressure of steam and air all solid particles are prevented from passing out through said outlet only the gases generated within the furnace being permitted to pass off in this manner. As the solid particles which may accumulate near the flueoutlet and endeavor to pass off that way are acted upon by the pressure of steam and air from the burner they are forced to mix withthe molten mass and become a part of it.

By means of the burners an absiilute control of the mixture entering the furnace is secured so that the operator can produce at will a reducing heat or an oxidizing heat.

-The furnace is designed to treat those metals or o'res which cannot be thrown down readily except under pressure as, for ex- When this has been acample, zinc, and also otherores which can- It is obvious fromthe foregoing descrip-'- tion that the furnace shown in the drawings and herein described is peculiarly adapted for use in either manner.

The draft secured by means of the aspirator is very simple andeifectual and can be very easily and quickly changed from ressure to a vacuum. By causing the eat generated in the vacuum to 'rotate in the manner in which it does the heatin size or radiation of the furnace is materially increased, thereby causing a great saving in the fuel consumption.

Another great advantage of a furnace of this character is that when the furnaceis heatedand a molten charge bedded the and freezing is thiisfpfre per n is con nu us. th re y v y terlally increasing the capacity of the furnaee. Again 'thecharge is completely under the control of the operator at all times and e ee i f bl he ga to uch iil x n a t en ble h m is sli u' i r -y fi Volatile n iil end Whnt is a een ebiiirl shd 1 ledi e th ba a an .ap Ofi' h n' ec ary a The antes is particularly adapted for m 1ti ig'" QPPsr d l eitfqr'es esteciany' high gr de ores, while a at same time it'isquiteas adaptable for the treatmat f irqn bo endf r" f di ing n frati 4 H Ow t th large he t n f ce wh h a furnace f h Ch fl hmfl ii oft e'ores asin ablast avoided "Another great eam e" is that the P6!" te' f lie flu d y "0 th ge, b in i lil to continually ins ect'the interior of' thfe furnace d' arn m obs rv en ii th thedesiredresiilts'f "Owin t h main flame was is 'cai sed y the't iigeraia position 'ofthe bu n w fi Pr ie'ct' flamstense i ali and ase st ifiugall m vemen the fl e w t n as h'a 1 he fl me being rojected wi er pressure, the heat absorption'of the ore is greatly ftmilitatedv volatile metals may be fluxed out with'the gas mixture and'u'nder vacuum exhaust, a point of utmost importance in'treatl ng Iron or steel. After the metal'has been properly melted and -fiuxed. for impuritiesit can be put under'pressure, and the proper 11110 S orcarbon "can'bfe charged into it, giving t e most perfect mixture with the most simple mechanical operation of "any furnace made.

It is especially adapted for casting work.

Since the heat may be a plied under'pressure great fluidity can be ad, thus insuring ood flow and castings free from blow holes. t practically eliminates all oxygen.

From the foregoing description it is be-- lieved thatthe operation and many advantages of a furnace of this class will be thoroughly understood.

Having thus'described my invention, I

. claim:

1. In a reverberatory smelting furnace, the combination of a cylindrical walled chamber; a plurality of tangential devices for projecting flames upon the contents of mwu u tor is enabledto gage the" fuelneeded internally -ratlier than extending through' thewalls of said chamber and inclin dbwn rer ly t w rd t net thereof for projecting 'fl-ames u on'the contents of said chamber and there I y' creating a vortical 'a'ctionthereof and means for mak i g'a d arna ti fi ht 4.111 a reverberatory smelting furnace, the combination of i a cylindrical Walled amber; a p ra it r a em a de e e e d hr gh t e was f as c a r,

an ii lin id ownw d y owar th nt th rsdf f Proj ct g fl me "01 e' 611- ten 6f n ambe nd h re y creating a vertical ac there an outl th ref m; and a device for creating a Vacuum therein. n" ve be a o y m lti'fls fu n e, the combination of a cylindrical Walled chamber; a plurality of tangential devices for projecting flames upon the contents of ai chamber and 'theIe Y J-"Qa iQg a vortical action thereof; anoutlet therefrom; a' valve valve. I

6(In a reverberatory smelting furnace, the combination of a cylindrical walled chamber; a plurality of tangential devices for projecting flames upon the contents of said chamber andjthereby creating a vortical acti'on't'he'reof; an'outlet therefrom; a valve in said outlet; means for closing said valve; a charging cone; and a'valve tojclosesaid cone: '7; Ina reverberatory smelting furnace, the combination of a cylindrical Walled chamber; a plurality'of tangential devices for projecting flames upon the contents of said chamber and thereby creating a vortical action thereof; an outlet'tl erefro'm; a valve in said outlet; means for closing said valve; a

, in said outlet and means for closing said charging cone; a valve to close said cone; and

means for reventing the admission ofair to .ten metal in said chamber.

9. In a reverberatory smelting furnace the combination of a cylindrical walled chamber; a plurality of oil burners extending tangentially through the walls thereof; an outlet from said chamber for the gases .generated therein; a discharge-outlet for the molten metal in said chamber; and an inclined trough in the bottom of said chamber communicating with said discharge outlet.

10. In a reverberatory smelting furnace, the combination of a cylindrical walled chamber; a plurality of oil burners extending tangentially through the Walls of said chamber; and a plurality of valved tubes extending through the walls of said chamber adapted to permit an inspection of the interior thereof.

11. In a reverberatory smelting furnace, the combination of a cylindrical walled chamber; a plurality of oil burners extending tangentially througlethe-walls of said chamher; an outlet from said chamber for the gases generated therein; a valve in said outlet; and a spring normally closing said valve.

12. Ina reverberatory smelting furnace, the combination of a cylindrical walled chamber; a plurality of oil burners extending tangentially through the walls of said chamber; .an outletfrom said chamber for the gases generated therein; a valve in said outlet; a spring normally closing said valve; and means for regulating the tension of said spring.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass, this 23d day of May, ,1907.

ALVA n. LEE.

Witnesses: j

WALTER E. LOMBARD, EDNA C. CLEVELAND. 

